Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Today let’s examine our thinking muscle.

Today’s scripture, Proverbs 4:23 (ERV), instructs…
Above all, be careful what you think because your thoughts control your life.

Consider…
In 1971 singer Jean Knight sang…

Mr. Big Stuff, tell me, tell me
Who do you think you are
Mr. Big Stuff
You’re never gonna get my love

I’d rather give my love to a poor guy that has a love that’s true (oh yeah)
Than to be fooled around and get hurt by you
‘Cause when I give my love, I want love in return (oh yeah)
Now I know this is a lesson Mr. Big Stuff you haven’t learned

Mr. Big Stuff, tell me
Who do you think you are
Mr. Big Stuff
You’re never gonna get my love

Ms. Knight’s song make me think of Jesus’ words in Luke 5:32 (NLT)…
I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”

Jesus’ words make a distinction between thinking a lie and knowing the truth. They distinguish the people who think they’re living right from those who know they’re living wrong.

There’s a saying, “it’s the thought that counts”. Based on Sister Jean, and more importantly Jesus, that saying is true.

Our thoughts matter. That’s what today’s verse emphasizes…
be careful what you think because your thoughts control your life.

Jesus illustrated this point in Mark 7:21‭-‬23 (ERV) when He said…
All these bad things begin inside a person, in the mind: bad thoughts, sexual sins, stealing, murder, adultery, greed, doing bad things to people, lying, doing things that are morally wrong, jealousy, insulting people, proud talking, and foolish living. These evil things come from inside a person. And these are the things that make people unacceptable to God.”

It’s not a coincidence that God stresses the point of thought renewal to what we’ve learned and knew. Ephesians 4:18‭-‬24 (NLT) explains and exhorts…
Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity. But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

Notice the shift in Paul’s writing from living based on evil thoughts to learning the truth from Jesus. And then Paul says a key three letter word, LET! He exhorts us to LET the Holy Spirit renew our thoughts and attitudes, which means transform them to the truth that Jesus Christ has taught.

The key to having a strong thinking muscle is to allow the Holy Spirit to build, control and develop it.

This makes me hear Galatians 5:16 (ERV), which exhorts…
So I tell you, live the way the Spirit leads you. Then you will not do the evil things your sinful self wants.

The Holy Spirit is emphasizing that we should not live according to what we think but instead by what He reveals God wants! He says our desires should be only what God requires.

God tells us that we must in the words of 1 Corinthians 3:18 (NLT)…
Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world’s standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise.

If we’re not thinking God’s thoughts, we’re thinking wrong. Before you mistakenly think you are, Isaiah 55:8‭-‬9 (ERV) declares…
The Lord says, “My thoughts are not like yours. Your ways are not like mine. Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts are higher than your thoughts.

That’s why we need the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:10 (NLT) explains…
But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets.

So if you want to know God’s thoughts, listen to His spirit!

Jesus tells us why we can listen to, and follow the Holy Spirit in John 16:13 (NLT). He said…
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.

We can listen to and follow the Holy Spirit because He only says what He knows from God, not what He thinks.

There’s a valuable lesson in that. Stop asking what others think and start seeking what the Holy Spirit knows!

The last thought the Holy Spirit is telling me to leave with you is 2 Corinthians 10:4‭-‬5 (ERV), which teaches…
The weapons we use are not human ones. Our weapons have power from God and can destroy the enemy’s strong places. We destroy people’s arguments, and we tear down every proud idea that raises itself against the knowledge of God. We also capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ.

He is saying, because we know Christ and the truth that He has taught us, we need to control our thoughts rather than let them control us. Then He reminded me, that’s where He can help. If you let Him, the Holy Spirit will help you live according to what Je knows instead of what you think. More importantly He will transform your thinking muscle into one that focuses on God!

Now that you know the truth, stop aimlessly thinking and start knowingly focusing on living life God’s way!

Today’s song is…
I’m Yours

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)